Cal (7-7, 1-0 Pac-12) vs. USC (10-5, 1-1 Pac-12)
Conference action arrives in Berkeley for the first time in 2018 when California men's basketball hosts USC on Thursday. The Golden Bears tip off against the Trojans at 7:30 p.m., live on the Pac-12 Network and KGO 810 AM.
Cal's spirits are high after winning four of their last five contests, including three on the road with a comeback victory at Stanford to open Pac-12 play. The Bears are 3-2 in their last five Pac-12 home openers.
California split at the Southern California schools in the lone pair of meetings last season, falling at UCLA but taking home a 74-73 victory from the Galen Center to upset the then-No. 25 Trojans. During the road swing,
Don Coleman emerged to average 13.5 points, including 12 points against USC. He enters Thursday's matchup leading the Bears with 20.1 points per game and coming off a 15-point game at Stanford that saw him record a pair of clutch free throws down the stretch.
Coleman is joined in double figures by
Darius McNeill (13.4 points),
Marcus Lee (12.6) and
Justice Sueing (12), each of whom also scored in double figuresd in the win at Stanford. Sueing scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half, including eight in the final three minutes, while Lee poured in 19 points in a 9-11 day from the floor.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION: Thursday's action airs live on the Pac-12 Network, with JB Long and
Mike Montgomery on the call. Fans can also follow the action on the Pac-12 Now app on mobile, and by watching at www.Pac-12.com/live on the web. The California Golden Bears Sports Network will offer play by play and analysis, as well as post-game interviews, from Todd McKim and
Jay John live on KGO 810 AM. Live stats, full broadcast details and more can be accessed via the Cal men's basketball schedule page on CalBears.com, and fans can follow the Bears on social media via @CalMBball on Twitter and Instagram, and at Facebook.com/CalMBball.
SCOUTING THE TROJANS
Last Meeting: Cal topped No. 25 USC, 74-73, in Los Angeles on Jan. 8, 2017
Series Record: Cal leads, 136-123
USC's 2017-18 Record: 10-5, 1-1 Pac-12
USC's Last Game: The Trojans earned a decisive 89-71 victory over Washington State in Los Angeles.
• Leading scorer Chimezie Metu, who is averaging 17.8 points and 7.6 rebounds, is suspended for the first half of Cal vs. USC as a disciplinary action following the Washington State contest.
• Three other Trojans are scoring in double figures -- Bennie Boatwright (16.8 points), Jordan McLaughlin (12.9) and Elijah Stewart (12.5).
• McLaughlin is 3rd in the nation in Assists (120) and 4th in Assists Per Game (8.0), plus 25th for Steals (32)
• The Trojans lead the league in Assist Turnover Ration (1.42), total assists (249) and Assists Per Game (16.6).
• USC is averaging 5.3 steals and 4.6 blocks per game.
• The Trojans are averaging 82.0 points per game overall, and 85.0 in Pac-12 play.
• USC is averaging 20.0 percent (8-40) from beyond the arc in conference action.
CAL RECORDS AGAINST USC
Points: 37, Rickie Hawthorne, Feb. 28, 1976
Rebounds: 20, Leon Powe, March 9, 2006
20, Ansley Truitt, March 4, 1972
FG: 14, Bob Presley, March 1, 1968
3P: 6, Billy Dreher, Feb. 17, 1991
6, Ryan Drew, March 10, 1988
6, Jerome Randle, Feb. 4, 2010
FT: 12, three times, last by Leon Powe, March 9, 2006
Series Notes
Record at Cal: 65-40
Neutral: 12-6
Last 10 meetings: 8-2
Most points, Cal: 99, 1966-67
Most points, USC: 102, 1971-72
Largest margin, Cal: 37, 1921-22
Largest margin, USC: 33, 1937-38, 1971-72
Longest Cal win streak: 7, 1987-88 to 1990-91
Longest USC win streak: 7, 1968- 69 to 1971-72
Current Streak: 3, Cal
LAST TIME OUT
Cal stormed back against Stanford, 77-74
• The Golden Bears came back from a 17-point deficit more than halfway into the second half.
• Cal ended the game on an 18-4 run.
•
Justice Sueing scored eight points in the final three minutes, and 14 of his 18 points in the second half.
•
Grant Anticevich connected on the second three-pointer of his career at 1:19 in the second half to help fuel Cal's comeback.
• Four Bears scored in double figures –
Marcus Lee (19), Sueing (18),
Don Coleman (15) and
Darius McNeill (13).
•
Roman Davis matched a career-high 3 rebounds, and a season-high 3 points.
• The Bears took home their first win from Maples Pavilion since 2014.
IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
As a team, Cal ranks in the nation's top 25 for:
• Blocked Shots Per Game -- 14th, 6.1
• Free Throw Attempts -- 10th, 373
• Free Throws Made -- 12th, 262
• Total Blocks -- 15th, 86
Individually, Cal student-athletes rank in the Top 50 for:
• Blocked Shots Per Game --
Kingsley Okoroh (21st, 2.71) and
Marcus Lee (33rd, 2.29)
• Free Throw Attempts --
Don Coleman (5th, 124)
• Free Throws Made --
Don Coleman (9th, 93)
• Offensive Rebounds Per Game --
Marcus Lee (42nd, 3.07)
• Points Per Game --
Don Coleman (41st, 20.1)
• Total Blocks --
Kingsley Okoroh (19th, 38) and
Marcus Lee (33rd, 32)
• Total Field Goal Attempts --
Don Coleman (21st, 225)
• Total Points --
Don Coleman (45th, 282)
ROOKIES RISING TO THE CHALLENGE
With one of the youngest squads in the national, California's newcomers have been pushed to step up and contribute major minutes to the lineup.
Two freshmen are averaging double figures for the Bears, with
Darius McNeill (13.4 points per game) and
Justice Sueing (12.0 ppg) averaging above 11.0 points.
McNeill, a Houston, Texas product poured in back-to-back career-high point totals, starting with 18 points against Chaminade and improving to 22 points against CSUN, then topped it four games later with a 30-point outing against CSU Fullerton. McNeill became the 40th player in Cal basketball history to score 30 points in a game. Against the Titans, he also recorded career-high totals for assists (6), steals (5) and rebounds (6). Following his 30-point outing against the Titans, McNeill added 20 points -- all in the second half -- at Seattle. The rookie carried a 12-game three-pointer streak before it was snapped in Cal's nonconference finale against Portland State. He has 10 games with multiple three-pointers this season.
Sueing was pivotal in Cal's come-from-behind win at Stanford, scoring 14 of his 18 points in the second half with the Bears down 17 points. Over the final three minutes, he scored eight points. Earlier this season, he scored a career-high 23 points against Chaminade, including 19 in the second half, and has scored in double figures in eight games this season while starting all but one game. His output comes after missing most of the preseason due to a stress fracture.
Juhwan Harris-Dyson has also stepped up with solid minutes off the bench for the Bears, averaging 4.2 points and 3.0 rebounds. He came up clutch in Cal's 63-62 win at San Diego State, icing a pair of free throws with less than 8 seconds in the game to lift Cal to the win.
Rookie
Grant Anticevich helped fuel Cal's comeback win at Stanford with a key three-pointer at 1:19 in the second half to help erase the deficit. Anticevich was 1-10 on the season in three-pointers before making the three that brought the game within one point.
BIG KIDS ON THE BLOCK
California's senior big men are among the country's best players on the block, with
Kingsley Okoroh and
Marcus Lee combining for 70 blocks so far this season.The Bears rank among the Top 20 nationally for total blocks (15th, 86) and blocked shots per game (14th, 6.1).
Okoroh and Lee are both in the top 35 individually for total blocks and blocked shots per game. Okoroh is 19th with 38 total blocks, and 21st with 2.71 blocked shots per game. Lee is 33rd for his 32 total blocks and 33rd at 2.29 blocks per game.
The 7-1 Okoroh has tied the Cal single-game record for blocked shots twice this season, recording 7 blocks against UC Riverside and against Portland State. He ties the number set by Michael Stewart (1994-97), which Stewart recorded thrice in his Golden Bear career. Okoroh has 173 career blocks, currently ranked third among Cal's career leaders. Stewart ranks second with 207 blocks, and David Kravish (2012-15) leads with 226 career blocked shots.
The Cal team record for blocked shots in a season is 161 blocks through 33 games in 2013, an average of 4.9 per game. The Bears are currently swatting shots at a pace of 6.1 blocks per game, with 86 total blocks.
ROAD WARRIORS
With the Dec. 30 win at Stanford, the Golden Bears are riding a three-game win streak in games away from Haas Pavilion, and are 3-0 in true road games this season. The streak started on Dec. 9 with a 63-62 victory at San Diego State, followed by a decisive 81-59 victory at Seattle on Dec. 19. The 77-74 win on the Farm came as a come-from-behind victory in which the Bears battled back from a 17-point deficit late in the second half.
Cal's three-game road win streak is its best since 2015, when the Bears won at Washington State, Washington and Colorado between Jan. 29 and Feb. 12. The streak ended on Feb. 15, 2015, when Cal fell at No. 11 Utah, 68-61. The Bears have not recorded a four-game winning streak in true road games since the 2002-03 season, when Cal took wins at New Mexico, Cleveland State, Washington and Washington State.
NEXT UP
Cal hosts UCLA on Saturday, Jan. 6 at 3:30 p.m. The game airs live on the Pac-12 Network with Roxy Bernstein and Don MacLean on the call.
